Ten Tips to Manage People
Ten tips to manage people
If you are a manager then you will have to manage people.
But people are very difficult to manage.
If you have little idea about how to do it, then they are even more difficult to manage.
So, if you are looking for some good ideas on how to manage people, then here are ten manager tips that will definitely help, if you apply them.
Manager tip number one - Remember that people are motivated mostly by their own self-interest
People are motivated mostly by their own self-interest.
It is important you remember that people don't work primarily for your benefit.
They don't work for the benefit of the larger organisation.
They work primarily to benefit themselves and their loved ones.
Therefore, if you want to motivate people to do something, talk to them about how the task is in that person's own self-interest.
If it is not in that person's self-interest, then try to set up a reward system, linked to the successful completion of the task, that the person will enjoy, when the task is successfully completed.
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Manager tip number two - Remember that people work better when they know exactly what the goal is
Tell people exactly what the goal is. Don't leave people guessing. Don't keep moving the goalposts. Try to create an environment where each worker knows exactly what is being asked of him or her.
Create clear goals, and tie them to rewards. (See point one).
Manager tip number three - Tell them the reasons why
Tell people why the goal is important. Let the people know what they are aiming at and let them know exactly WHY the goal is important.
This is important because people are intelligent and they need to know that they are doing something worthwhile.
To work well, they need a clear and distinct goal, (see tip 2); they need a personal motive (see tip 1) and they need a good reason (tip 3).
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Manager tip number 4 - Give them a practical plan
Now you have told them what and why they are doing it; now they need to be given a plan of action. Show them the detailed plan. How are they expected to achieve the goal set out for them?
Give them the steps.
To the degree possible give them a well-designed plan of action that tells them exactly what they need to do, in the order they need to do it.
This plan of action will not be 100% complete or will it be 100% accurate, but make it as complete and as accurate as your knowledge allows.
Management tip number 5 - Ask them for their contributions to improve the plan
Ask them for their contributions to improve the plan. People are intelligent beings and it is often true that the person who is actually doing the work, (the worker) is the person who can see the flaws in the plan, which was designed by the management.
The manager should encourage the worker to add as much knowledge and information gained at the sharp end of delivering the task, to improve the plan.
This act has three advantageous benefits.
- It improves the plan
- It motivates the worker
- It improves the relationship between the management team and the workers
Manager tip number 6 - Give positive feedback
Give positive feedback to any person who does anything good.
Don't forget to give positive feedback, to any person who does anything good.
Failure to give verbal and written praise and appreciation will cause the work force to feel unappreciated. I know that you appreciate them in the form of giving them money and benefits. But that is not enough! Give them kind words too.
Kind, appreciative comments and praise will inspire people to work harder and longer with good grace.
A lack of appreciation; a lack of praise; and a lack of an occasional kind word; will trigger a negative response.
Appreciation is free and easy to give.
Appreciation is costly not to give.
Splash it about a bit.
Manager tip number 7 - Give people negative feedback
Give people negative feedback.
- When someone has done something wrong. 0r
- When someone has failed to do the right thing
Then the manager must have the courage to give negative feedback.
The manager must take the following steps:
- Tell the person what they have done wrong.
- Name the specific corrective behaviour, and ask them to do that instead.
- Negotiate on what would be a new correct behaviour.
- Ask for a commitment to change.
- And then shake hands and leave on that new commitment.
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Manager tip number 8 - Be a role model
Be a role model: model the behaviours and standards that you expect the others to live by.
You have to be seen to be an example of the kind of behaviours that you want the others to work to.
- If you are criticising other people for being late, and you, yourself are always late, then it does not cut much ice.
- If you are criticising other people for being scruffy, and you, yourself are even worse, then it does not cut much ice.
- If you are criticising other people for being rude, and you, yourself are always swearing then it does not cut much ice.
Try to be a living example of the standards that you are trying to impose on the others.
Otherwise you won't cut much ice.
Manager tip number 9 - Have a (controlled) sense of humour
Have a sense of humour but don't allow yourself to become a clown.
It is important to inject a certain amount of good humour into your work, and into the office atmosphere. But at the same time, you must ensure that you do not mess up by becoming a clown, or a joker, or a court jester figure.
You do not want the good humour to degenerate into "messing about".
The phrase "It's good to laugh", is not always true.
The phrase should be: "It is sometimes good to laugh. And sometimes, it is not".
Have a good sense of humour but keep it under control.
Manager tip number 10 - Create and sustain a positive mental attitude
Create and sustain a positive mental attitude and try to share that with the others in the team.
A positive mental attitude is predicated on your ability to generate sufficient plausible reasons to believe, with conviction, that the future will be much better than the past.
If you cannot do that, then you won't have a positive attitude: because you won't be able to believe it.
If you can generate sufficient plausible reasons to believe, with conviction, that the future will be much better than the past, then you will exude a positive mental attitude because you will have found reasons to justify one.
Remember that most people are wondering around the face of this good earth, with bucket loads of fear, self-doubt, and a sense of dire uncertainty for their future prospects. They are being told all the time by the experts that the end is nigh and that the future is bleak.
As a consequence, many people are in a state of anxious worry over their future prospects.
Many people therefore lack confidence for the future.
You can give it to them, only to the degree, that you can generate sufficient plausible reasons to believe, with an honest conviction, that the future will be much better than the past.
If you will do that, then you will exude a positive mental attitude, and then you can dish it out to all the others in the team.
And that would be good.
Here are the top 10 manager tips, in brief
- Remember that people are motivated primarily by their own self-interest.
- Remember that people work better when they know exactly what the goal is.
- Tell them the reasons why, the goals are, as they are.
- Give them a practical plan of action.
- Ask them for their personal contributions to improve the plan.
- Give people good positive feedback.
- Give people accurate negative feedback.
- Become a role model.
- Have a (controlled) sense of humour.
- Create and sustain a positive mental attitude.
If you do all these things, you will become a great manager
For more information about manager training please visit the Corporate Coach Training website
About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years’ experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
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